Hanford Journal Hanford, Kings Co., California Tuesday, 3 MARCH 1896 *********************************** BIRTH -- MICKLE -- In Hanford, Cal., Friday, Feb. 28, 1896, to the wife of John T. MICKLE, a son -- weight 11 1/2 pounds. [from Grangeville column] -- Born, to the wife of Chess NOWLAN, Wednesday, Feb. 26th, 1896, a son. Mother and child are well. [from Grangeville column] -- Word was received here this week that Mrs. GAYLORD (nee GALBRAITH) had presented her husband with a 14 lb. son, some 2 weeks ago. Henry will soon have a blacksmith's helper of his own. MARRIAGE -- BLOYD-ASBURY -- On Wednesday evening, Feb. 19, 1896, at the residence of A.E. McCLANAHAN, near Traver, by Rev. CHILDERS; Leander BLOYD and Mrs. Sarah ASBURY. DEATH -- HANSEN -- On Sunday, Feb. 23, youngest son of Mr.&Mrs. John HANSEN, aged 2 years. The funeral was held at 2 p.m. Monday, A.G. PARK officiating. Burial took place in the Hanford cemetery. ------------------------------------------------------ A JURY ACQUITS WILLIAM NELLIS OF THE CHARGE OF ARSON -- When the 'Journal' went to press last Tuesday the case of William NELLIS, charged with arson, was then on trial. The prosecution was represented by District Attorney SHORT, assisted by T.W. LOCKHART, while Rowen IRWIN, assisted by Rufus ABBOTT, were counsel for defendant. The theory of the prosecution was that the defendant NELLIS had hired HOOD to burn his house in order that he (NELLIS) might collect the insurance on his household goods. The theory of the defense was that HOOD and JOHNSON set fire to NELLIS' house and stole the household effects out of it, without NELLIS being aware of the theft, and when they were detected by the officers they laid the crime onto NELLIS to shield themselves. LEE had it in for NELLIS because he would not testify in his behalf at LEE's trial for stealing CURRY's alfalfa seed and all the "gang" were standing in to cinch NELLIS. HOOD testified to the effect that he was employed to work for NELLIS while the latter went camping last July, and he and John JOHNSON (now in Folsom) were to burn the house so that NELLIS could get the insurance on his household effects. HOOD and JOHNSON removed the furniture on the night of July 20th, most of it being taken to WORKS' house, east of Dinuba, and some to John JOHNSON's. JOHNSON was to have the furniture for his work and NELLIS was to settle with HOOD for his part in the affair. On the night of July 21st HOOD and JOHNSON burned the house. NELLIS told witness to get an old piano, sewing machine, etc., to replace those in the house, and take NELLIS' piano, etc., away, but they were unable to secure an old piano, so they burned NELLIS'. NELLIS instructed him on his (NELLIS') return from his camping trip, on July 23 or 24, to go to Bush & Hight, the agents who made out his insurance papers, and tell them of the fire and that it occurred by the explosion of a lamp or by f ire from the stove. HOOD further testified that in August he and NELLIS went to WORKS' place and took therefrom 2 boxes of goods, consisting of dresses, books and family portraits, brought them to Traver and NELLIS shipped them to Los Angeles, addressed to W.S. CHAUVERT. The testimony of James LEE (who is now in Folsom for stealing George CURRY's alfalfa seed) as given at the preliminary examination of NELLIS, was then read. It was to the effect that NELLIS had told him long before the fire occurred that he had hired HOOD to burn his house and NELLIS told him after the fire that HOOD set it afire. A.J. WORKS testified that NELLIS and HOOD came to his place and got a lot of dress goods, pictures, etc., that had been saved from the fire and brought there. NELLIS told him that what furniture was there belonged to HOOD and NELLIS saw all the household effects that was there. Mrs. A.J. WORKS corroborated her husband's testimony. Charles JOHNSON (brother of John JOHNSON, now under sentence at Folsom) testified that when the officers got track of the goods at WORKS, NELLIS spoke to him and said it would not do for the officers to find the goods there, and NELLIS hired a team and promised him (JOHNSON) $10, which was afterwards paid by Lee DANNER, to go to WORKS' and warn them that the officers were coming to look for the goods. He went, but met A.J. WORKS between Dinuba and Traver and WORKS told him the officers had already been to his house and found the goods and furniture. This ended the evidence for the prosecution and witnesses for the defendant were then examined. The defendant, William NELLIS, was the 1st to testify in his own behalf. He denied in toto all the alleged conversations testified to by the witnesses for the prosecution as to the fire. He admitted shipping 2 boxes of goods from Traver at the time stated by the prosecution's witnesses, but explained that the goods belonged to CHAUVERT, and consisted of quilts, bedding and green fruit, which he had borrowed from CHAUVERT when he (NELLIS) came to this county about a year before the fire. W.S. CHAUVERT was the next witness. His testimony corroborated that of the defendant, NELLIS, fully, in regard to the shipment of the 2 boxes of goods to him and he swore positively that there were no dresses, books or pictures in the boxes. He is the head man in a large wholesale and retain establishment in Los Angeles and has held that position for 4 years past. Testimony for the defense closed with a number of witnesses to show the previous good character of the defendant. Arguments then began. District Attorney SHORT opened for the people, and was followed by Rufus ABBOTT. Rowen IRWIN made the closing argument for the defense and T.W. LOCKHART closed for the prosecution. After receiving instructions from the Court, the jury retired and almost at once began to ballot. The 1st ballot stood 11 for acquittal and 1 blank, the 2nd ballot resulted in a unanimous verdict of acquittal. In about half an hour after they retired to deliberate the jury handed in its verdict to the Court and was discharged at 3:30 o'clock Thursday afternoon. The case was stubbornly fought throughout, on both sides. The fact that all the witnesses for the prosecution had been more or less involved in the crime, if arson was committed, had great weight with the jury and no doubt largely influenced them to make a decision in favor of the defendant. ------------------------------------------------------- THE 40 THIEVES -- Ben BARLOW Tells Still More About Them -- MIDDLETON Awaits His Trial -- Joe MIDDLETON, one of the "40 thieves" was held to answer in the Justice court of Selma recently for committing highway robbery, in having assisted in holding up a Portuguese at a sheep camp near Wildflower last June. His bonds were fixed at $3000 and he now awaits trial in the Superior Court of Fresno county. MIDDLETON is at last getting his desserts, although he escaped punishment for innumerable crimes for many years. Ben BARLOW testified against him, and he testified substantially as follows, as published in the 'Irrigator:' "He (BARLOW) was a member of the gang of 40 thieves, that on June 19th, he and others had gone to the sheep camp near Wildflower, and with pistols held at the heads of the Portuguese had made them deliver up their valuables; that the defendant, Joe MIDDLETON, was also a member of the gang and of the party, and that he, the witness, had had several little adventures with members of the gang where other people's property had been taken. The witness gave a very interesting story of the doings of the gang and connected MIDDLETON directly with them. The robbers had 3 rendezvous, 1 in the mountains, of which Joe MIDDLETON had charge, 1 in Kings county and another in Tulare county. ------------------------------------------------------- LOCAL PARAGRAPHS -- -There will be a rabbit drive on Sunday, March 8th, at Dick MIDDLETON's, known as the Delano ranch, 3 miles south of Lemoore. Drive begins at 10 o'clock. No guns or dogs allowed. Everybody invited. -C.M. STYPE, a former resident of Hanford, has returned after an absence of about 3 years, most of which time he has spent in Florida. Charley has come to stay a while and has accepted a position with J.K. BOX, in the South Side grocery store. -C.K. DECKER is over from Tulare county, where he now has his bees, and is visiting his friends in Hanford for a few days. -Charley McDADE received a letter yesterday, containing the ill news of the dangerous illness of his mother, back in Illinois. -J.M. REID is again able to attend to his cigar and confectionery store on Front St. He has had inflammatory rheumatism in both feet for several weeks past and part of the time has been confined to his bed. BISHOP NICHOLS conducted confirmation services in this city yesterday at the Episcopal church, assisted by the rector, Rev. C.S. LINSLEY. The following named were confirmed: Fannie and Frida FALLIN, Mrs. Ada BECKWITH and David DAVIES. Preceding the confirmation services the Bishop delivered an eloquent and pointed sermon on "Faith in God." O.P. LANE has rented his farm, 4 1/2 miles SW of Hanford, for 4 years to J.D. DANNER, the Hanford groceryman, who will stock the place and reside there with his family. Mr. LANE expects to go to Los Angeles, Iron Springs and other places to recuperate his health, which has been poor for some time past. ------------------------------------------------------ GRANGEVILLE -- -Miss Lola CROW, of Visalia, is visting with her grandmother, Mrs. HAAS. -Ivan STARR, a nephew of Mrs. WALTZ, has been visiting at the parsonage for a few days. -A farewell party was tendered Messrs. GALLAHORN and LEDFORD last Tuesday by Mr.&Mrs. J.D. BIDDLE of Hanford and quite a number of the ladies from Grangeville attended and report a very pleasant time. -Mrs. ELLIS gave a dinner last Monday at her home north of Grangeville, in honor of Miss SCHULTZ's birthday. The young lady, it will be remembered, came from the East some 3 months ago for her health and has made a great many friends who are rejoiced to see so marked an improvement in her physical condition. LEMOORE LOCALS -- -F.E. WHALEY left Wednesday for Colorado. -Louis PHILLIPS of Hollister is visiting his brothers and sisters here. -Mrs. Clara WILLIAMSON of San Francisco, is visiting her brother, J.T. CHAMBERS, near Lemoore. -Mr. H.W. BYRON has engaged the services of Mr. PODMORE as sexton of the Lemoore cemetery. He is making quite an improvement in the appearance of the grounds. -Mrs. HOLSER, mother of W.F. HOLSER, who has been visiting here for the past few months, returned to her home in Pasadena on Tuesday of this week. Mrs. W.F. HOLSER accompanied her as far as Tulare City. THE 76 COUNTRY -- [from the Traver 'Advocate' of Feb. 27th] -Robert KENNEDY celebrated Washington's birthday by having a runaway. He was badly shaken up, but received no serious injury. The horses did not come out as well, because of the several barbed wire fences they encountered in the run. -Emmet OGLE of Mussel Slough brought his little daughter to Traver Tuesday morning to have the doctor set a broken bone in the child's arm. The accident happened Monday evening while she was swinging on a gate. Transcribed by Dee Sardoch To see more old newspapers, visit http://www.newspaperabstracts.com/